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Tulip Mania

The Tulip Book contains 122 pictures of tulips, made by Jacob Isaacsz of Swanenburch, Leiden citizen (1571-1638, in the 1620s first teacher of Rembrandt) and 16 pictures presumably created by Adriaen Jansz. van Witvelt (approx.. 1581-1638). The book played a role in the Tulip mania, the oldest known speculative bubble in world history.In the late 16th century the first tulip arrived in the Netherlands from the Middle East. Almost immediately the tulip became a status symbol, avidly collected by the happy few. The tulip bulb was virtually priceless, in 1637 the target price for a single bulb was 3000 guilders (comparable to 31,000 Euros in 2008). Against a background of plague and war, speculation around tulip bulbs expanded enormously. People sold their possessions in order to get tulip bulbs. Speculators were called florists. In February 1637 the market collapsed and panic broke out. The unfortunate traders who could whistle for their money sought help from the government. Local authorities established committees to bring the parties together, but a structural solution was never found.All pictures are available digitally. Click below for pictures and / or browse through the book:

More about the Tulip Book

The book belongs to the Special Collections of the NEHA (no 254). The acquisition probably dates back to 1927. The acquisition also led to the creation of the "Boekenfonds" (Book fund). With notes from the 20th century at the front "[..] - Kildale - 8464 - Drawn by a Dutch artist anno 1630"; two loose sheets from 1630 were purchased by the NEHA Book Fund, 1929; origin of third sheet unknown.